You Are the Future of Gaming

by Phil Spencer, Head of Xbox

Games are a source of joy, inspiration, and social connection. They have the power to bring us together, create empathy, and strengthen our social fabric. As we prepare for the next generation, our efforts to make gaming more inclusive, more immersive, more connected, and more social are as relevant and important as ever.

At Xbox, we listen to what you – players, game developers, and content creators – tell us you want from the future of gaming. Based on your feedback, we’re building a future where you and your friends can play the deepest, most immersive and interactive games ever created across your Xbox console, PC, and mobile devices.

At the dawn of the next generation, it’s important to be clear about what you can expect from the future of Xbox.

Our vision has one hero at the heart of it all: You.

And today, I want to share our commitments to you:

• You will always be welcome. We are building Xbox for you—players from all walks of life, everywhere in the world. We want to make your Xbox community safe, accessible, and welcoming – a place where you can have fun. As we say in our community standards, harassment and hate take many forms, but none have a home on Xbox. Should you feel others are behaving in ways that violate the standards, our safety team will investigate your report and support you 24/7/365 around the globe. And we continue to accelerate new technology to reduce hate speech and toxicity, giving you the tools to create the safe gaming community you want to play in.

In addition to tools, we commit to bringing more diverse stories to Xbox for you to enjoy. We are empowering creators of diverse backgrounds to develop new stories, advocating for an authentic and respectful representation in games, and championing accessibility so that all can play. Additionally, more than 300,000 Xbox Ambassadors give their time and passion to making Xbox the best place to play and we invite all players to join us on that mission. We still have so much more work to do and will not stop until everyone who plays feels welcome, heard, and valued.

• Your games will look and play best on Xbox Series X. Xbox Series X is designed to deliver a new level of fidelity, feel, performance and precision never seen before in console gaming. All games will look and play best on Xbox Series X – whether they come from our 15 Xbox Game Studios, like Halo Infinite, or from our world-class publisher and developer partners. Packing over 12 teraflops of GPU power including new technologies like hardware-accelerated Direct X raytracing and variable rate shading, and with four times the processing power of an Xbox One X, Xbox Series X enables developers to provide you with transformative gaming experiences through richer, more dynamic living worlds, more realistic AI and animations, and support for higher frame rates including support for up to 120 FPS.

Xbox Series X also enables you to spend less time waiting and more time playing, as it virtually eliminates load times with the 40x boost in I/O throughput from last generation. With our custom next-generation SSD and Xbox Velocity Architecture, nearly every aspect of playing games is improved. Game worlds are larger, more dynamic and load in a flash, and fast travel is just that – fast. The Xbox Velocity Architecture also powers new platform capabilities like Quick Resume, which enables you to seamlessly switch between multiple titles and resume instantly from where you last left off without waiting through long loading screens. Right now, Xbox Series X is in the hands of our 15 Xbox Game Studios teams and thousands of third-party developers, empowering them to create a new generation of blockbuster games for you to enjoy.

• You play new games day one with Xbox Game Pass. All Xbox Game Studios titles launch into Xbox Game Pass the same day as their global release, so you decide whether to purchase each game separately or play them all with your Xbox Game Pass membership. Xbox Game Studios franchises that will launch into Game Pass day one of release include Halo, Forza, Age of Empires, Gears of War, Minecraft, Hellblade, The Outer Worlds, Psychonauts, Microsoft Flight Simulator, State of Decay, Wasteland, Minecraft Dungeons and Sea of Thieves—and more new franchises in early development. So, when Halo Infinite launches, you and your friends can decide whether to purchase the game or play it with Xbox Game Pass.

• You won’t be forced into the next generation. We want every Xbox player to play all the new games from Xbox Game Studios. That’s why Xbox Game Studios titles we release in the next couple of years—like Halo Infinite—will be available and play great on Xbox Series X and Xbox One. We won’t force you to upgrade to Xbox Series X at launch to play Xbox exclusives.

• Your games will not be left behind, thanks to backward compatibility. You will be able to play four generations of games on Xbox Series X on day one. That makes it the largest launch lineup for any new console ever, with thousands of games to play. Our backward compatibility engineers have spent years devising innovative ways for modern, next-gen technology to make the games library you’re building today even better, at no additional cost and with no work from developers. It’s our intent for all Xbox One games that do not require Kinect to play on Xbox Series X at the launch of the console. And because of the unprecedented power of Xbox Series X, most of your favourite games will load faster and look and perform many times better on the new console.

• Your Xbox One gaming accessories come into the future with you, too. The Xbox Elite Controller and Xbox Adaptive Controller all work on Xbox Series X, so you don’t have to purchase new controllers. We believe that your investments in gaming should move with you into the next generation.

• You can buy games once at no added cost. With our new Smart Delivery technology, you don’t need to buy the same game twice – once for the current console generation and once for the next generation. You always have the best available version of supported games on whatever Xbox console you are playing on, at no additional cost. If you own a title that supports Smart Delivery like Destiny 2, Gears 5 and Halo Infinite, you automatically have access to the version that plays best on your Xbox console. Highly anticipated games from the world’s biggest developers, like Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, Cyberpunk 2077, Marvel’s Avengers and more have already committed to supporting Smart Delivery and more will be announced soon.

Xbox Play Anywhere digital titles also enable you to buy once and play on both Xbox consoles and Windows 10 PCs.

• You choose how to jump into the next generation of gaming. We hear from you that you prefer choice and value. With Xbox All Access, you can get Xbox Series X, and Xbox Game Pass Ultimate for a low monthly price with no up-front costs, no finance charges and no hidden fees. You get to enjoy an instant library of over 100 high-quality games, join friends with online multiplayer, and experience new Xbox Game Studios titles the day they release, including Halo Infinite, on the fastest, most powerful Xbox ever.

• You are in control of a healthy and balanced gaming lifestyle. If you are a parent, guardian or caregiver, the new Xbox Family Settings app (Preview) for iOS and Android provides a simple and convenient way to create child accounts, customize family settings, and ensure that your kids have access to gaming that you feel is appropriate.
• You will get more from your Xbox Game Pass Ultimate membership. Finally, today we’re announcing that this September, in supported countries, we’re bringing Xbox Game Pass and Project xCloud together at no additional cost for Xbox Game Pass Ultimate members. With cloud gaming in Game Pass Ultimate, you will be able to play over 100 Xbox Game Pass titles on your phone or tablet. And because Xbox Live connects across devices, you can play along with the nearly 100 million Xbox Live players around the world. So when Halo Infinite launches, you and your friends can play together and immerse yourselves in the Halo universe as Master Chief—anywhere you go and across devices.

Cloud gaming in Xbox Game Pass Ultimate means your games are no longer locked to the living room. You can connect more than ever with friends and family through gaming. And just like you do with your movie and music streaming services, when cloud gaming launches into Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, you can continue your game wherever you left off on any of your devices.

When you add it all up, Xbox Series X is the only next generation console that lets you play new blockbuster games at the highest console fidelity, enjoy the latest blockbuster games the day they launch for one monthly price, play four generations of your games at higher fidelity than ever before, and play with friends wherever you want across your TV, PC, and mobile device. And with Xbox All Access, you can jump into the next generation for one low monthly payment and no up-front costs.

The future of gaming has never been more exciting and limitless. It’s a future you’ll explore on your terms, not constrained by restrictive policies. Where your gaming legacy will not be left behind and where you will not be locked out of new exclusive Xbox Game Studios games even if you choose to stay with your current console for a while.

It’s a future where you and your friends play the most immersive, responsive, and vivid games together on every screen in your life, and where games reach across the world and bring you stories you’ve never experienced before. It’s a future in which you get more value from your games. And where everyone is welcome.

We hope you’ll join us next Thursday, July 23rd for the Xbox Games Showcase for the first look at the Halo Infinite Campaign and more.

Thanks so much for shaping the future of gaming.

-Phil

Inked4WoWS

World of Warships in Search For the Best Naval Tattoo, The Winner Gets an Attractive Prize

In honour of National Tattoo Day, Friday, July 17, the developers of World of Warships and World of Warships: Legends are asking players to show their ink as part of a global photo contest. 

To celebrate the art and culture of tattoos – entwined with the naval heritage – World of Warships and World of Warships: Legends are inviting fans and community members to share images of their naval-inspired tattoos for a chance to win prizes and see their tattoo inspire an upcoming ship camouflage.  Starting July 17 through July 24 players can visit the portal to upload an image here . From July 24 – July 31 players will vote for the shortlisted tattoos, while the winning tattoos will be announced by August 13, 2020.

“Tattoos have been a part of navy culture since Captain Cook’s first voyage to Polynesia in the 1770s where he discovered intricate and beautiful body art of indigenous people,” said Philip Molodkovets, World of Warships’ Executive Producer. “For centuries sailors have been adorning their bodies with recognisable tattoos to appease the sea gods. Over the years tattoo art has become widespread form of personal expression, a way to show what you are passionate about. Therefore, with this tattoo contest we wanted to show the incredible bond between our community and the sea”, concluded Phil Molodkovets.  

Find more information about naval tattoo tradition in our animated series.

The World of Warships Tattoo Contest Prize Packages:

·         The person with the tattoo receiving the highest number of votes will receive a $1,000 USD gift card to a tattoo parlour of their choice, 

·         100 random qualifying submissions will receive a pack of camouflages in World of Warships or World of Warships: Legends,

·         Camouflage gifts for 100 random players who will cast their vote,

·         In addition, the developers of World of Warships will create a completely new camouflage inspired by one of the tattoos submitted during the contest (not contingent on how many votes it receives).

For a complete list of rules, visit here.

About World of Warships

World of Warships is a free, historical, online combat PC game from Wargaming. With its massive fleet of most iconic war vessels, including four different ship classes and strategically designed environment, World of Warships provides the ultimate naval warfare gaming experience, suitable for everyone. Thanks to its largest collection of historically accurate ships available to play, World of Warships prides itself as a digital ship museum and a focal point for naval history enthusiasts.

New thematic content and innovative game modes are being added on regular basis, providing a diverse and exciting gameplay to its broad player base.

One franchise – multiple platforms

After the successful launch of World of Warships on PC, its unique gameplay and design has been adapted to bring free massive naval battles to other platforms with World of Warships: Legends available on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One and World of Warships Blitz on iOS and Android mobile devices.

Official website:  www.worldofwarships.com

About World of Warships: Legends

Experience epic naval action in World of Warships: Legends, a massively multiplayer online game where you can master the seas in history’s greatest warships! Recruit legendary commanders from maritime history, upgrade your vessels and stake your claim to naval supremacy with or against players around the world in thrilling and immersive battles.

World of Warships: Legends brings the online naval action loved by millions to home consoles for the very first time, alongside a host of content and features exclusive to the console experience.

Official website: https://wowslegends.com/

About Wargaming

Wargaming is an award-winning online game developer and publisher headquartered in Nicosia, Cyprus. Operating since 1998, Wargaming has grown to become one of the leaders in the gaming industry with 4500+ employees and offices spread all over the world. Over 200 million players enjoy Wargaming’s titles across all major gaming platforms. Their flagship products include the massively popular free-to-play hit World of Tanks and the strategic naval action game World of Warships.

Official website: www.wargaming.com

ALL-NEW IXALAN SEASON FOR MAGIC PASS DEBUTS IN NEW MAGIC: MANASTRIKE UPDATE

Battle to Earn This Month’s Magic Pass Rewards, including Planeswalker and Skin Selectors, Level Boosts, and Other Prizes

LOS ANGELES – JULY 16, 2020 – Netmarble Corp.’s latest update for Magic: ManaStrike, Netmarble’s first-ever game for the Wizards of the Coast franchise Magic: The Gathering, officially debuts Ixalan Season for Magic Pass, which introduces several new rewards alongside in-game enhancements and improvements to players today.

The new Magic Pass-exclusive Planeswalker Selector item added to the game allows players to choose one of three Planeswalkers previously only available to players during Magic: ManaStrike’s pre-launch period. The three Planeswalkers available to select include: White Planeswalker Gideon Jura, Blue Planeswalker Tamiyo and Black/Green Planeswalker Garruk Wildspeaker. Other rewards to Magic Pass include Level Boost Vouchers, a Skin Selector, Emojis and Player Icons to earn while playing the game.

Magic: ManaStrike explores the depth of Magic: The Gathering’svast multiverse in a whole new genre with a fast-paced PVP strategy game. After losing a war with the Planeswalkers, Magic: The Gathering‘s most powerful villain Nicol Bolas creates a parallel universe to find the Planeswalkers’ weaknesses. Players enter a contract with Nicol Bolas to provide combat data by controlling Planeswalkers and units in his universe.

Fast-paced and easy to learn, fans can experience dynamic real-time battles with anyone from around the world in three-minute matches. During battle, players will be able to summon units, cast spells, and command powerful Planeswalkers with simple tap and drag gameplay and iconic Magic: The Gathering cards re-envisioned through high-quality 3D. By collecting new cards from Magic’s five unique Mana colors – White, Blue, Black, Red and Green, players will learn to understand each color’s traits, and create unique strategies that lead the way to victory.

Magic: ManaStrike is available to download on the App Store and Google Play and is globally launched, and supports 13 languages including English, Korean, Simplified and Traditional Chinese, French, German, Italian, Spanish, Japanese, Indonesian, Thai, Russian and Portuguese.

For more information, please visit Magic: ManaStrike’sofficial website and forum. Also, please follow Magic: ManaStrike on Facebook and Twitter.

About Netmarble Corporation

Established in Korea in 2000, Netmarble Corporation is a top developer and publisher pushing the boundaries of the mobile gaming experience with highly innovative games including Lineage 2: Revolution, The Seven Deadly Sins: Grand Cross, Blade&Soul Revolution and MARVEL Future Fight. As a parent company of Kabam, and a major shareholder of Jam City and Big Hit Entertainment, Netmarble strives to entertain audiences around the world with a variety of mobile games based on its powerful franchises and collaborations with IP holders worldwide. More information can be found at http://company.netmarble.com

About Magic: The Gathering

Magic: The Gathering’s compelling characters, fantastic worlds, and deep strategic gameplay have entertained and delighted fans for more than 25 years. Fans can experience Magic through the tabletop trading card game, the new digital game Magic: The Gathering Arena, a New York Times bestselling novel, critically acclaimed comic book series, and professional esports league. With over 40 million fans to date, Magic is a worldwide phenomenon published in eleven languages in over 70 countries.

About Wizards of the Coast

Wizards of the Coast, a subsidiary of Hasbro, Inc., is an award-winning developer and publisher of tabletop and digital games that ignite a sense of adventure in passionate players around the globe. Best known for publishing groundbreaking fantasy franchises, MAGIC: THE GATHERING® and DUNGEONS & DRAGONS®, Wizards is dedicated to bringing together world-class talent to create unforgettable play experiences at its headquarters in Washington and studios in Austin and Montreal. Learn more at www.wizards.com. 

The Penrose Combines Audeze’s Award-Winning Planar Magnetic Driver Technology with a Broadcast Quality Microphone Engineered for Enhanced Chat and Streaming to Set the Standard for Next Generation Wireless Gaming Headsets

LOS ANGELES, CA, JULY 15, 2020 – Audeze, the leading premium audiophile headphone manufacturer, today announces the launch of their new Penrose wireless headset aimed at console and PC gamers. Extending Audeze’s family of gaming headphones that includes the high-end LCD-GX and the Mobius 3D Surround Sound PC gaming headset, the Penrose is designed with Microsoft’s Xbox Series X and Sony’s PlayStation®5 in mind. Penrose is equipped with Audeze’s 100mm planar magnetic drivers, a broadcast quality microphone for enhanced chat and streaming, and a 2.4 GHz low-latency lossless wireless connection, so gamers can experience the best in audio quality and wireless functionality.

To commemorate this announcement, the Audeze Penrose is now available to pre-order for the limited promotional price of $249 ($50 off MSRP). Pre-order details can be found at audeze.com/penrose

The patented planar magnetic technology in the Penrose delivers the best audio quality for next-gen consoles.

The Penrose microphone was engineered to bring enhanced voice quality for chat and streaming. Its flexible boom construction makes positional adjustments effortless, and built-in noise filters reduce up to 20dB of background sound so players can communicate with greater confidence.

The Penrose wireless headset comes with a USB dongle that can be connected to Xbox Series X, launching this fall, or PlayStation 5 gaming consoles, as well as current generation consoles and desktop computer systems. Penrose can also be connected to mobile devices using Bluetooth 5.0, with support for SBC and AAC codecs. Both wireless and Bluetooth connections can be activated simultaneously, allowing users to customize their Penrose sound settings in real time using the Audeze HQ mobile and desktop app.

The Audeze Penrose wireless planar magnetic headset comes in two versions, Penrose (for PlayStation®4 and PlayStation 5 consoles, and Windows and Mac desktops) and Penrose X (for Xbox One and Xbox Series X consoles, and Windows desktops). Penrose will retail for $299 US, and the first 1,000 pre-orders are available for $249 US at audeze.com/penrose, and through participating international distributors. Shipments are expected in early September 2020.

Audeze Penrose features include:

• Audeze 100mm planar magnetic drivers
• Broadcast quality microphone
• 2.4GHz lossless low-latency wireless
• Bluetooth 5.0 (SBC and AAC)
• Audeze HQ mobile and desktop app with custom EQ and sidetone toggling

“We’re excited to finally offer gamers a true wireless planar headset,” says Audeze CEO Sankar Thiagasamudram, adding “Penrose is a huge leap forward for wireless console gaming audio and we can’t wait for people to hear it.”

For more information on the Audeze Penrose, follow Audeze on Twitter, “Like” us on Facebook, subscribe to Audeze on Youtube to see and hear video demonstrations of Audeze products, and visit the website at www.audeze.com.

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ABOUT AUDEZE
Audeze LLC is the California-based high-end audio manufacturer delivering the most accurate sound reproduction available today. Audeze products, engineered with the latest innovations in materials science and technology, are built with precision craftsmanship. Audeze’s commitment to research, development, and uncompromised audio is reflected in every facet of their leading-edge products. This has earned Audeze the distinction of being the world’s best reviewed headphone brand.

Latest TALES OF Title is “an RPG Written in Blood and Betrayal” 

Santa Clara, Calif., (July 16, 2020) – Leading interactive entertainment publisher and developer BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment Inc. has officially launched TALES OF CRESTORIA, the latest installment of the critically acclaimed TALES OF franchise, on iOS and Android devices. Featuring a unique, dramatic storyline where “sinners” are condemned by popular vote, the brand-new turn-based TALES OF RPG is available now as a free download via the App Store and Google Play, the title is rated “T” for Teen by the ESRB.

TALES OF CRESTORIA invites both new fans of JRPGs (Japanese role-playing games) and fans of the TALES OF franchise to experience the gorgeous world of Crestoria, which is populated by a vibrant cast of brand-new characters. Additionally, returning fan-favorites from previous TALES OF titles will also appear as residents of the world of Crestoria. To the citizens of this aesthetically beautiful land lies a truly dystopian society, where every single action is observed by the relentless gaze of all-seeing “Vision Orbs.” For protagonist Kanata, the Vision Orbs’ justice is absolute—until one fateful night he and Misella, an orphan girl living in his father’s religious house, committed a sin and are labeled “Transgressors” by their fellow citizens, and “enforcers” are dispatched to punish them. With their worldview shattered, they meet the notorious Vicious, a man known worldwide as “The Great Transgressor.” He offers them a narrative-driving choice: “Own your sin, or let it own you.”

In TALES OF CRESTORIA, protagonist Kanata fights to defy fate in fast-paced, high-intensity turn-based battles, where stunning, smoothly animated techniques can be unleashed with a single button press; moreover, flamboyantly powerful “Mystic Artes” are also available as special abilities. TALES OF CRESTORIA features extensive customization options—both in terms of cosmetics and strength progression—and allows players to create their very own dream teams made up of beloved characters from TALES OF serieslore.

To celebrate the launch of TALES OF CRESTORIA, BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment Inc. will be hosting a special in-game campaign, wherein all new players will receive 20 free summons and be able to choose one SSR/SR character from previous TALES OF titles upon initial installation (from a specific lineup of characters). Plus, as a result of a successful Twitter fan campaign, all new players will receive several Enhancement materials and Attachments after they complete the in-game tutorial. This promotion begins today and will end on August 30th 11:59 (PST).

For the additional news and updates on TALES OF CRESTORIA, please visit the game’s official website, and follow the game’s official Facebook page, Twitter page and Instagram page: https://www.instagram.com/to_crestoria/

This trailer/video may only be displayed if it is behind an age-gate that: (1) is age-neutral (i.e., requires the user to input their date of birth or select it from a drop-down bar; (2) employs reasonable technical measures to keep underage users from re-entering their age after initially being denied access; and (3) does not display any ESRB rating information on the video player or the age-gate itself.  Failure to implement these requirements may jeopardize your ability to obtain material of this nature from us in the future.

Copyright

©MUTSUMI INOMATA  ©KOSUKE FUJISHIMA  ©BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment Inc.

Take on New Challenges with Monster Train’s “Wild Mutations” DLC, Free Today on Steam

New mutators enhance endgame and competitive play in the hit roguelike deck-building card battler from Good Shepherd Entertainment & Shiny Shoe

AMSTERDAM & SAN FRANCISCO – July 16, 2020 – Good Shepherd Entertainment and Shiny Shoe have released “Wild Mutations,” the first major DLC for the hit roguelike deck-building card battler Monster Train. This free new update is available to download today on Windows PC via Steam.

“Wild Mutations” improves Monster Train’s endgame and competitive play experiences with over 35 new mutators to use across all run types, plus advanced challenges, balance updates and more. Battle your friends and the community on a rotating series of challenges with new mutators that’ll turn your knowledge of the game’s existing mechanics upside down. And it’s just the beginning, as the Monster Train team continues to develop new content for the game with community feedback for future updates.

Set on a train ride to hell, Monster Train brings a new strategic layer to roguelike deck-building games with three vertical battlegrounds to defend at a time in solo play and competitive multiplayer. Construct a deck of spells and minions from over 220 cards and position your champions carefully to win!

Features:

• Over 220 upgradeable cards with which to build your deck.
• Choose from five monster clans with unique gameplay and champions.
• Online real-time competitive multiplayer for up to eight players.
• Create and share your own custom challenges.
• With multiple routes to take and decks to build, no playthrough is ever the same!

For more info, visit www.TheMonsterTrain.com, and follow @GoodShepherdEnt and @ShinyShoeGames on Twitter.

About Good Shepherd Entertainment

Good Shepherd Entertainment publishes video games from independent artists worldwide and operates a proprietary investment platform for a growing global network of qualified investors seeking risk-mitigated participation in the $130B video game industry. Originally established in the Netherlands in 2011, operating under the name Gambitious, the Company became a full-featured publisher in 2014. Good Shepherd Entertainment is backed by some of the industry’s most notable names, including Devolver Digital, Croteam and Perfect World, all successful companies in independent game development and publishing. www.GoodShepherd.games

About Shiny Shoe

Shiny Shoe is an independent video game development studio dedicated to creating fun and polished experiences for consoles, PC, mobile and online/social streaming environments. Founded in 2011 and based in San Francisco, Shiny Shoe has collaborated with partners including Double Fine, Stoic, Oculus, and Telltale. In addition to traditional games, Shiny Shoe is introducing new types of massively multiplayer experiences like its original titles Death’s Door and the follow-up, Death’s Door: Aftermath. https://shinyshoe.com

Short-Form Narrative Title Now Available for $6.99

July 16th, 2020 — Developer Insatiable Cycle and publisher Whitethorn Digital announce short-form narrative game We should talk. is available now for $6.99 on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One; as well as on Steam for PC, Mac, and Linux platforms!

It’s not what you say — it’s how you say it. We should talk. is a game about relationships and the nuance of communication that will make you think carefully about the words you choose. 

Using a unique narrative choice mechanic, you’ll craft sentences in response to the in-game characters in We should talk. Through this careful choice of words, you’ll be able to express yourself as you discuss ongoing problems about life and romance with Sam, your in-game partner, over text messages, while also chatting with friends and strangers at your favorite local bar about what’s on your mind.

The combination of words you choose impacts the conversations you have, how genuinely you can connect with your partner, and whether your relationship can survive the night. It’s up to you how you respond — depending on how you communicate, you’ll see one of many possible endings.

To find out more, visit:https://www.weshouldtalkgame.com/
Twitter:@_weshouldtalk

©️2020 Sony Interactive Entertainment LLC. “PlayStation”, “PlayStation Family Mark”, and “PS4” are registered trademarks or trademarks of Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc. 

Nintendo Switch is a trademark of Nintendo.

About the Development Team
“We should talk” was created by Kat Aguiar, Nobonita Bhowmik, Francesca Carletto-Leon, Jordan Jones-Brewster, Carol Mertz, and Jack Schlesinger — six developers that met as MFA students at the NYU Game Center. The team came together with the goal of creating a game that challenges traditional transactional romance in games, and collaborated to push relationship-building games forward by expanding the realm of player choice. 

About Insatiable Cycle LLC
Insatiable Cycle LLC, founded by Carol Mertz, designs inclusive games to bring people closer together, teach them about themselves and each other, and inspire new ways to think, communicate, and play.

About Whitethorn Digital
We’re an indie game publisher focusing on pleasant, cozy games that can be played in pieces, that require no special skills or knowledge, and that anyone can pick up and play. We’re believers in accessibility, inclusion, and widening the audience that gets to play. We like to consider ourselves the defenders of easy games. Join in on the discussion via our Discord.  

Blockbuster mobile game PUBG MOBILE is launching social responsibility campaign “Play As One” with in-game challenge and community fundraiser to support the humanitarian aid organization Direct Relief on the COVID-19 global response project

LOS ANGELES – July 16, 2020 – PUBG MOBILE, the worldwide popular mobile game, has partnered with Direct Relief, the humanitarian aid organization, in responding to the COVID-19 pandemic by supplying medical aid to frontline healthcare workers. Starting today, the #PUBGMPlayAsOne campaign is launched with the PUBG MOBILE in-game challenge and community fundraiser for individual players to support and participate and directly in Direct Relief’s COVID-19 response.

Under the global pandemic situation, with the “play for good” initiative of bringing positive impact on society and helping more people, PUBG MOBILE is taking the social responsibility in a worldwide brand perspective and encouraging community members to contribute their own efforts, moreover, in gamer’s way. The campaign is calling out a slogan of “Play As One” to encourage the 600 million PUBG MOBILE players worldwide to team up and play for the same goal for one world, facing the global challenge together.

Starting with the official effort in game, PUBG MOBILE launches the in-game “Running Challenge For Donation” event from July 15 to 28 to engage all players for support. Players’ sprinting distance in-game will be added to the server milestone corresponding to a dollar donation by PUBG MOBILE. A server-wide milestone tracker starting with PUBG MOBILE’s official donation of $1 million USD, will be increasing incrementally as players running more distance in game. The final amount of donation is to be revealed once reaching the final server-wide milestones.

Besides an in-game event offering official donations, PUBG MOBILE and Direct Relief have developed the dedicated channel here for community members to support the fundraiser by making their voluntary donations. All donations will directly contribute to support Direct Relief’s emergency response to COVID-19 around the world.

Through the shared love of games, PUBG MOBILE enables the connection with players worldwide and supports the society in the gaming ways. Today’s #PUBGMPlayAsOne campaign is another meaningful effort following the previous #ChickenDinnerAtHome campaign launched during the earlier pandemic period, which encouraged all PUBG MOBILE players to safeguard their health by staying in the safe zone and enjoying chicken dinner at home. By supporting WHO’s global #PlayApartTogether movement among the games industry, PUBG MOBILE encourages all community members to show team spirit by continuing to enjoy the game in a fun and healthy way.

Players can now support the #PUBGMPlayAsOne campaign by playing in game and can donate directly to Direct Relief at www.directrelief.org/pubgmobile.

Join PUBG MOBILE and Direct Relief in the vital fight to protect the lives of healthcare workers on the frontline, and our friends and communities across the world.

About Direct Relief

Direct Relief is a humanitarian aid organization with a mission to improve the health and lives of people affected by poverty or emergencies — without regard to politics, religion or ability to pay. Direct Relief is responding to COVID-19 globally by providing personal protective equipment (PPE) for health workers; building a medication stockpile to assist with anticipated spike in ICU patients; and boosting support to safety-net facilities to address existing chronic gaps that are likely to grow.

Since January 2020, Direct Relief has rapidly deployed medical aid to support health workers during the COVID-19 pandemic.

For more detail on Direct Relief’s response around the world, click here.

ABOUT PUBG MOBILE

PUBG MOBILE is based on PLAYERUNKNOWN’S BATTLEGROUNDS, the phenomenon that took the world of interactive entertainment by storm in 2017. Up to 100 players parachute onto a remote island to battle in a winner-takes-all showdown. Players must locate and scavenge their own weapons, vehicles and supplies, and defeat every player in a visually and tactically rich battleground that forces players into a shrinking play zone.

For more information, please visit the official PUBG MOBILEaccounts on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.

PUBG MOBILE is available to download for free on the App Store and Google Play. 

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TOKYO – July 16, 2020 –  Pokelabo Inc. (subsidiary of GREE) and Square Enix, Inc. welcome the tragic world of NieR:Automata to SINoALICE, the mobile fantasy battle RPG from the mind of Yoko Taro, today via updates through the App Store and Google Play. As an added bonus, a recent update brings new chapters to Act of Hatred as SINoALICE celebrates 1,000,0000 players just two weeks after its global release.

■ NieR Collaboration Event Period

Wednesday July 16, 2020 at 7:00 a.m. to Thursday August 6, 2020 at 5:59 a.m. (UTC)

Note: The event period is subject to change. Please check the in-game notice and official SINoALICE global social media accounts for further details.

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Log in during the collaboration to get 2B/Breaker
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By logging in during this event, players will receive the NieR:Automata collaboration character 2B/Breaker as a gift.

Note: This gift will appear in your present box after completing the tutorial.

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Collaboration Event: Memory of Dolls (Original Scenario by Yoko Taro)
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This collaboration event features an original scenario written by Yoko Taro with new voice recordings from Yui Ishikawa (2B) and Kaori Kawabuchi (Simone).

Also available in this event are collaboration nightmares such as Simone and a machine lifeform, as well as other collaboration items such as armor.

■Collaboration Event Period

Thursday July 16, 2020 at 7:00 a.m. to Thursday August 6, 2020 at 5:59 a.m. (UTC)

Note: The event period is subject to change. Please check the in-game notice and official SINoALICE global social media accounts for further details.

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NieR:Automata Collaboration Grimoire: The Puppets’ Feast Pt. 1
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Acquiring the SR weapon Type-4O Blade unlocks A2/Breaker. Acquiring the SR weapon No. 7’s Staff unlocks Emil/Cleric.

Each class comes with its own character story and each weapon with its own weapon story. Read the intertwining tales that connect the two. The collaboration characters and weapons appearing in this event are written exclusively by Yoko Taro.

■Collaboration Event Period

Thursday July 16, 2020 at 7:00 a.m. to Monday July 27, 2020 at 5:59 a.m. (UTC)

Note: The event period is subject to change. Please check the in-game notice and official SINoALICE global social media accounts for further details.

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New Chapters of “Act of Hatred” Available
The Little Mermaid makes her way to SINoALICE
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New chapters for Act of Hatred are available now. Adding to Yoko Taro’s cast of twisted fairy tales, the Little Mermaid weaves a new sorrowful story beyond the darkest ocean depths.

There will also be new chapters available for Snow White (VA: Reina Ueda) and Sleeping Beauty (VA: Kaede Hondo).

■ Act of Hatred, New Chapters Available

■ Update Details

・Snow White
Chapters 1-4 unlocked

・Sleeping Beauty
Chapters 1-3 unlocked

・Little Mermaid
Chapters 1-2 unlocked

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Little Mermaid/Minstrel Available
STEP Grimoire: Droplet of Misery Available
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The STEP Grimoire: Droplet of Misery, from which players can summon Little Mermaid/Minstrel, is now available. With every summon of this grimoire, adventurers progress to the next STEP, and are guaranteed an SR item on STEP 5.

■ Period (UTC)

Available Now until July 27, 2020 at 5:59

Summon the SR weapon, Violin of Misery, to unlock the Little Mermaid’s new class, Minstrel. Unlock new weapons to improve performance in battle.

Note: All classes have character stories that revolve around that character.

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About NieR:Automata
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NieR:Automata is an action RPG produced by Square Enix and developed by Platinum Games.

Yoko Taro, creative director and creator of SINoALICE’s original story, directed the title. Keiichi Okabe/MONACA, who also composes the music for SINoALICE, produced the title’s musical composition.

NieR:Automata tells the story of androids 2B, 9S and A2 and their battle to reclaim the machine-driven dystopia overrun by powerful mechanoids. Humanity has been driven from the Earth by mechanical beings from another world. In a final effort to take back the planet, the human resistance sends a force of android soldiers to destroy the invaders. Now, a war between machines and androids rages on… A war that could soon unveil a long-forgotten truth of the world.

NieR:Automata Game of the YoRHa Edition is available now on PlayStation(R)4 computer entertainment system and PC (STEAM).  The NieR:Automata: BECOME AS GODS Edition is available now for the Xbox One family of devices including the Xbox One X. 

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About SINoALICE
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A fantasy RPG presented by Pokelabo and Square Enix in the palm of your hand.

The story comes straight from the mind of Yoko Taro, known for his work on the NieR series and Drakengard. Music is produced by Keiichi Okabe/MONACA (NieR series, Drakengard 3). Original character design is done by the up-and-coming illustrator, Jino.

■ Global Release Official Sites

English: https://sinoalice.global
Korean: https://sinoalice.global/kr/
Thai: https://sinoalice.global/th/
German: https://sinoalice.global/de/
French: https://sinoalice.global/fr/
Spanish: https://sinoalice.global/es/  

■ Global Official Social Media Accounts

English
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sinoaliceglobal
Instagram： https://www.instagram.com/sinoaliceglobal/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/sinoaliceglobal

Korean
Naver Cafe：https://cafe.naver.com/sinoalice
Twitter：https://twitter.com/sinoalicekorea 

■ Creators

・ Original story/Creative director: Yoko Taro
・ Music: Keiichi Okabe
・ Original character design: Jino

■ Global Details
・ Title: SINoALICE
・ Release date: July 1, 2020
・ Supported OS: iOS, Android
・ Supported devices
Android:  Android 6.0 or later (RAM 2GB or greater)
iOS:  iOS 10.0 or later/iPhone 5S, iPad Air, iPad mini 2 or later, 6th generation iPod touch or later
Some devices not listed may not be supported.
・ Price Free to Play (Offers In-App Purchases)

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Saber Interactive & Focus Home Interactive’s Original Hit Truck Game
MudRunner Out Now on iOS & Android

PARIS — July 16, 2020 — MudRunner, Saber Interactive and Focus Home Interactive’s multi-million selling off-road truck driving game, is now available for $5.99 on iOS and Android! With its trademark physics engine and challenging missions, MudRunner delivers the same realistic, immersive experience on mobile devices that made it a huge hit on PC and consoles.

MudRunner on mobile delivers hours upon hours of thrilling simulation gameplay, with more content still to come. Unleash the raw power of a variety of Soviet-era vehicles across 15 open-world maps as you haul cargo over treacherous terrain to fulfil your objectives. Overcome the elements, and don’t forget to use your trusty winch if you get stuck! For more information, visit www.MudRunner-theGame.com.

In related news, Snowrunner, MudRunner’s sequel which sold over a million copies in its opening weeks, dropped its first major Season Pass DLC featuring a new map, vehicles, missions and more on PlayStation®4, Xbox One and PC via the Epic Games Store yesterday.
Check it all out in the new trailer: